Multipurpose parachute delivery container



March 30, 1943. H. WILSON ETAL 2,314,914

IULTIPURPGSE PARACHUTE DELIVERY CONTAINER Filed April 8, 1942 F/scz. 4,6

44. ALHUNAU l lcs.

Patented Mar. 30, 1943 t t ccedil Humm MULTIPURPOSE PARACHUTE DELIVERY CONTAINER Harry Wilson and William P. Yarborough, Fort Benning, Ga.

Application April 8, 1942, Serial No. 438,100

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) 1 Claim.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to us of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to parachute delivery equipment, and comprises a. parachute and a container for dropping articles or supplies from aircraft to the ground without undue risk of breakage, and is particularly suitable for delivering material for which there is not an immediate need, such as food cans, ammunition cans, etc.

An object of the invention is to provide a device which may be adjusted to different diameters for varying sizes of articles.

Another object is to provide a device of this character which is simple in construction, yet adapted to safely carry articles of considerable weight.

Another object is to construct the device with unusual shock-absorbing capacity, to the end that it may land at greater speed without damage.

Other objects and advantages will be evident from a consideration of the description and drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view of the empty container with the cover raised to receive the material to be dropped.

Fig. 2 is a view of the shock absorber when removed from the container.

Fig. 3 is a view of a food can which is one of the items of supply which the container is adapted to deliver.

Fig. 4 is a view of the container enclosed about a food can which is to be dropped, the parachute being packed and attached ready for delivery.

Fig. 5 is a view of an ammunition can which is another item of supply which the container is adapted to deliver.

Fig. 6 shows the container open after aerial delivery.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the drawing.

Referring to the drawing, a container IIl of iiexible fabric has stitched-in bottom I2 and a top I4, the top being fastened in place by ties I6. Two load-supporting straps of webbing I8 extend across the bottom and up opposite sides, converging at 20 where D rings 22 are attached, into which snap fasteners 24 (see Fig. 6) of the parachute risers are to be attached.

The front of the container I0 is split vertically as at 26 and is provided with a lacing 28 by which a certain amount of take-up is provided for articles of varying diameter. Three bands of webbing 30 surround the outside at the bottom, middle, and top of the container, each band being provided with a buckle 32 which is located adjacent the lacing 28. The bands 30, as well as the straps I8, are preferably stitched to the container I0, parts of the bands adjacent the buckles being left unstitched to facilitate adjustment. The lacing as shown in Fig. 1 is drawn up to bring the container l0 to approximately its minimum diameter.

In packing the container, a shock absorber 34v (see Fig. 2) is first laid in the bottom of the container III and a food can 36 (see Fig. 3) or like articlefor instance, the ammunition can 36, Fig. 5-is placed on top of the shock absorber, the lid I4 being then fastened by the ties I6. The shock absorber may consist of a tire 40 and a tube 42 on a rim 44, all laid between two discs of plywood 46 and the whole encased in a fabric casing 48.

The parachute pack 50 is made up separately and comprises a casing 52 in which the canopy 54, Fig. 6, is packed, the risers 56 being secured to the rings 22 by the snap fasteners 24. The casing has the usual plywood stiiening board in the bottom and a break lacing across the top (neither shown).

Having described our invention, we claim:

Parachute delivery apparatus comprising a rectangular piece of fabric having rows of eyelets near two opposite edges, said edges being overlapped and provided with a lacing to form the sides of a container, a bottom of similar fabric stitched in one end of the container, a top of similar fabric, ties for holding said top on said container, spaced-apart load straps extending parallelly across the bottom of the container and upwardly along opposite sides, converging at the top and provided at the convergence of the ends with rings, said straps being stitched to said container, bands extending horizontally around the container and provided near the lacing with buckles, said bands being stitched to the container except for a space near the ends, a parachute pack on said lid, ties for holding said pack to said container, the parachute risers being joined to said rings by snap fasteners, and a shock absorber in the bottom of the container, said shock absorber comprising an inflated pneumatic tire between two disks of plywood enclosed in a fabric casing.

HARRY WILSON. WILLIAM P. YARBOROUGH. 

